Freshman Blues
by polykhromatik
Summary: AU: Season 4. Out of a coma, Faith meets Buffy at Sunnydale Campus. Follows previous story - Moving Day.


**I do not own the characters.**

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"Do you think Faith will show up?" asked Willow, as she walked beside Buffy.

"I hope so for her sake," said Buffy, as they approached the kiosk.

Buffy walked around the kiosk to see if Faith was on the other side. It was one of those many kiosks scattered at UC Sunnydale campus. They both stood on the side that had the campus map looking aimlessly at the map.

"Hey B, Hey Willow," said a familiar voice.

Startled Buffy and Willow turned around and faced Faith. Buffy was surprised how Faith looked. In the sunlight, Faith looked pale and thin but she appeared to be in good spirits as she flashed her charismatic grin. She couldn't believe that Faith was in front of her.

It was still surreal to Buffy. Early this morning it came as a surprise when Buffy received a phone call when only yesterday she visited Faith who was still in a coma. Now a few hours later Faith was standing here as if nothing happened.

"Faith, I got your message," began Buffy. "It sounded important. So what's going on?"

"What no hugs? No kisses?"

"Why didn't you at least let us pick you up from the hospital?"

"B I was out of sorts and you might say I still am. Plus I really couldn't stick around for a friendly reunion."

"Faith, you didn't answer my question?"

"There's a small problem."

Buffy groaned inwardly wondering what Faith could have possibly done now.

"Buffy don't you think it should be wise to talk in less public place," interrupted Willow, as she observed the campus security personnel coming into view.

Buffy saw the campus security personnel making their rounds and took Faith to the other side of the kiosk.

"That's the least of my worries," said Faith, also noting campus security.

"What's happened?" asked Buffy, as they walked away from the kiosk.

"I can't stay in Sunnydale, I'm leaving today."

"What did you do?" pressed Buffy.

"B I don't want to involve you or any one."

"I think that's a load of crap Faith. What you do always seems to come back to me and it's not pretty. Then I'm left picking up the pieces. So can you at least give me a heads up?"

Faith leaned against a large oak tree and took a deep breath to catch her breath.

"I had a run in with the hired guns from the watcher's council."

"Not them again?"

Faith nodded yes.

"Can you rewind to the beginning of this horror movie."

"I woke up the hospital and I started to get up. As I got out of bed, a nurse urged me back in bed. I insisted that I didn't feel like it so she said sit tight and she'd call for the doctor. Except it wasn't a doctor she was speaking to."

"How do you figure?"

"Apparently, the nurse must think hospital curtains can mute conservations. Anyhow, as she was talking, she said I was awake and didn't think it was possible that I would ever regain consciousness. Then she said to notify the Council immediately that I was awake and send the men pronto for a pickup."

"Damn," said Buffy. "I didn't know you were being watched."

"Yeah my feeling exactly, I didn't stick around to question her. I thought about punching her out but instead I was or she was saved by the proverbial bell. She was paged and I slipped out but I ran into those men outside of the hospital. I fought back and held them at gunpoint."

Buffy winced dreading the worse.

"No I didn't kill them. I just took what they were wearing and hung out in the city park last night."

Willow and Buffy sighed collectively.

"So that explains the baggy look," remarked Buffy, as she noticed the oversized clothes that Faith was wearing.

"I sure by now they've found new clothes to wear," added Faith.

"If you were under surveillance for this whole time, that means everyone who visited you was too."

"Yeah B it's a possibility. I don't know if they had remote cams or mics. I wanted to let you know in case you a get visit from those thugs."

Buffy was suddenly reeling over that possibility. Moreover, she had discussed many things with Faith when she was in a coma.

"I don't know if they think the Initiative is important to them?"

"You remember me telling you that?" asked Buffy, incredulously.

"Yes, I do among other things. Being a coma didn't mean I was out cold, I was just resting with my eyes closed but I was frozen. At least that's how it felt to me, I could hear and I remembered what was said to me. You came to see me once a week as well other people . . .Your visits helped me to keep track of time; without you, time would have been a blur."

"Others came to see you?"

"Yeah and I appreciated those visits too. After you, there was Angel, Giles, and Wesley. And of course the Scoobies," said Faith, as she glanced at Willow."

Willow nodded appreciatively.

"You mentioned Angel?"

"Yeah, he came once in awhile."

Buffy frowned slightly.

"I didn't think that was still an issue with you?"

"No not really, I'm just surprised."

"Hey B, it's not like I could say or do anything. I was a vegetable."

"I'm not implying. It's that . . . I didn't think he would show up and not say hi to me as well."

"Oh . . . I thought you were involved with Riley. You mentioned that to me countless times."

Buffy could only sigh. She realized that Faith was right and had an uncanny knack for recalling details. However, it still didn't help matters, Angel was her first and would always be. It was a special connection that one could never break free, completely.

"B, to ease your mind, he didn't say or suggest anything to me. He mainly talked about his new gig as a crime buster. Helping out the least fortunate who were victims of crime. He has Cordy and Wesley on his team, can you imagine that?"

Buffy smiled back too and remembered when she learned that both of them had teamed up with Angel.

"Can you imagine me of that team too?"

"What?"

"Yeah, he said if I ever woke up, stop on by."

"You're kidding me?"

"Would I kid you?"

Buffy eyed Faith warily.

"B I understand your doubts; I took advantage of your generosity. And I know I can't go back and undo things so I'm going north if Angel will have me on his team."

"Faith, why not stay here and help us out on solving the mysterious Initiative."

"I can give you several reasons why I can't stay and you know what they are."

"Faith, I think we can work something out."

"B I also need some space and some peace. Did alot damage in Sunnydale and harboring a fugitive isn't going to help you."

"So you think running away is the answer."

"Buffy I don't want to fight you anymore," said Faith, wearily. "I've caused you pain."

Faith considered what to say next but was at a loss for words, instead she watched Buffy in silence. Buffy had a lump in her throat and knew she had to face the inevitable. It was no different from being adrift she experienced when she started college many weeks ago.

"Do you need anything? Money? Clothes? Food?" asked Buffy, as she snapped out her disillusionment. She took out her lunch, a sub and offered it to Faith.

"I'm good on cash, thanks to the hired guns," said Faith. She patted her jacket pocket and then took Buffy's sub, and began to wolf it down.

"Thanks B. . . After eight months . . . I've forgotten how good solid food tastes."

However, Faith stopped gobbling and became self-conscious realizing she had taken the whole sub. Apologetically, she attempted to give back the other half but Buffy refused.

"You need this more than I do," responded Buffy. "Call it the freshman blues diet."

"Thanks Buffy . . . I owe you one," smiled Faith, as she took the other half of the sub.

"Faith, you're welcome to come back here," said Buffy, as she looked at Faith who was starting to devour the rest of the sandwich.

Faith didn't answer as she greedily continue to eat. In a way, Buffy was glad Faith didn't say anything at this point. It would make things worse.

Buffy hated goodbyes. This one was excruciating as she looked at Faith. She never thought it would be like this especially with Faith. In the past, Buffy would have liked nothing better for her to vanish from her life.

Now it was different. It seem like yesterday they had met and now they were parting ways. It was so abrupt that Buffy experienced a gut rise. Buffy had taken it for granted that Faith was in a coma and suddenly in less than 15 minutes of seeing Faith, she was leaving, possibly forever. Her insides were gnawing at her so much that Buffy went to Faith and gave her hug before Faith could react. Faith did not resist and held Buffy.

"Faith, please be careful . . . ," began Buffy, as she started to gasp for air. "I know you can fight and look out for yourself but don't isolate yourself. . . Stay in touch. Don't get killed."

"Sure Buffy . . .Thanks for listening and for being you. . . B, if you have one those apocalypse moments look me up."

Buffy looked at Faith one last time and then watched her disappear from her line of sight. Afterwards, she went behind the tree and sagged against it for support, and wept.

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Thank you for reading this story.


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